MEXICO – The Board of Selectmen read a retirement letter from former police officer Michael J. Richard on Wednesday night, but took no vote on it.

Richard, 57, of Rumford gave the letter to Town Manager John Madigan on Friday, the day a state panel revoked Richard’s law enforcement license because of his conviction for threatening his then-estranged wife last June. His retirement was effective Friday, Richard said in the letter.

Chairwoman Barbara Laramee read the letter to the board.

Richard was not present, nor was police Chief Jim Theriault, whom Madigan said was on vacation.

Richard said it was with deepest regrets that he wrote the letter to Madigan and the town, adding, “It has been the most wonderful seven years of my life working for the most wonderful people that I have ever met.

“I would like for you as well as the Board of Selectmen to know that this has been a long struggle for me these past 10 months. The respect and backing I received from all of you have (sic) made this a lot better for me … I will surely miss working for the Town of Mexico. I will miss the people and the employees. I will miss my job. I thank you all for a wonderful seven years,” Richard stated.

After Laramee finished reading, Selectman George Byam asked Madigan if there was a way in which the board could recognize Richard’s many years of service. Madigan suggested they draft and send a letter.

Selectmen took no vote on Richard’s retirement.

Rumford police arrested Richard last July, a month after the threat. After he pleaded no contest, a judge sentenced him to 180 days in jail, all suspended, and placed him on probation for a year. The conviction then sent Richard’s case to the academy board, which is responsible for licensing police officers in Maine.

Later in the meeting, Selectman Reggie Arsenault spoke about Friday’s Maine Criminal Justice Academy Board of Trustees meeting in which the panel unanimously voted to revoke Richard’s license. Arsenault and Madigan attended the meeting to testify in support of Richard.

As he did at that meeting, Arsenault reiterated that the entire proceeding and case against his friend Richard, in his opinion, was a total travesty and a joke. He said the decision of the trustees “was cut and dried before we even got there. I also think the press crucified him. They never put in the time that he was dragged down Roxbury Road for 100 feet.”

“I think it’s a crying shame that they hung him out to dry and never gave him his time,” Arsenault said. He then demanded an investigation into the matter and wanted people held accountable, severely, for what he said he believes were wrongdoings. He also said he thought the District Attorney’s Office should pay the bill for the town keeping Richard on paid administrative leave since his arrest last summer.

After the three-hour board meeting, Madigan said he had taken Richard off paid administrative leave when Rumford District Court Judge John McElwee found Richard guilty of criminal threatening in a plea arrangement in March. The town manager then explained that it may have seemed like the town kept Richard on the payroll, because he had time off coming and vacation days to take.